Orange-sorting machine



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2. E. N. MAULL.

ORANGE SORTING MACHINE. No. 520,440. Patented May 29, 1894.

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EDWARD N. MAULL, OF HUNTINGTON, FLORIDA.

ORANGE-SORTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,440, dated May 29, 1894.. Application filed January 23,1894- Serial No. 497,198. (No model.)

To to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD N. MAULL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Huntington, in the county of Putnam and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Orange-Sorting Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for sorting oranges according to their size, and the objects in view are to produce a very simple machine, that is easy of operation and into which oranges may be fed and through which they may be passed, and during their travel will be assorted with reference to their size and deposited in receptacles arranged adjacent to the machine.

\Vith these general objects in view the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specified and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line az-x of Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is a similar view, the line of section being immediately above the eccentric tracks. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of one of the radial shafts and the sizing or sorting rollers thereon.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In practicing my invention I employ a central disk 1, which is supported at the point of intersection of a series of radial arms 2, which may be cast integral with the disk. Any number of these arms 2 may be employed, and I have in the present instance shown eight. The arms 2 are secured at their outer ends to a series of vertical posts 3, which constitute supports for the machine and are designed to rest upon the ground. Below the arms 2 the posts 3 are connected by bars 4; whose upper edges are cut away or recessed as shown and support the outer.

ends of discharge chutes 5, which are located between the arms 2. Upon the upper edges of the arms 2 there are mounted inner and outer tracks 6 and 7 respectively, the inner track being notched at its under edge to receive the upper edges of the arms, and has that portion of its stock or metal removed to form the notch, outwardly extending and perforated at 8 to overlap and be secured to the upper edges of the arms 2. The outer track 7 has its lower edge seated in notches 9, wider than the track, and formed in the upper edges of the arms 2. The outer track is produced, preferably, by a series of segmental sections, and through the intermediate part of each section there is passed an adj usting-screw 10, whose inner end takes into the inner track, and by means of these screws the segments composing the outer track may be adjusted with relation to the inner track. The inner track is eccentric with relation to the center of the disk 1, and the outer track is eccentric with relation to said center and also with relation to the inner track and terminates short of said inner track twice the distance between the arms 2, while the rear terminal of the inner track terminates from the front terminal thereof the distance between the arms 2. Between the terminals of the track I arrange a tangentially disposed cam-arm 11, which is secured at its outer end to one of the posts 3, and at its inner end terminates opposite the beginning of the outer track 7. The outer track, it will be seen, is below the horizontal plane of the inner track, the object of which will hereinafter appear.

Extending from the axial center of the disk 1 is a vertically disposed shaft 12, and mounted for rotation on said shaft is a castmetal drum 13. This drum 13 consists of a lower circular portion or base 15, above the same of a circular table 16, and above the table of a beveled gear 17. The drum is provided with an axial bore 18, the latter receiving and being mounted loosely upon the vertical shaft 12.

From the periphery of the base 15 there extends a series of radial shafts 19, which are keyed rigidly in sockets formed in the periphery of said base, and whose outer ends are seated in perforations 20 formed in a ring 21 that encircles the base and exceeds the same in diameter. Each shaft is provided with a longitudinal groove 22, and has mountedthereon inner and outer grooved rollers 23 and 24 respectively, the said rollers being loose to revolve independently upon their shafts. At the inner side of the outer grooved rollers 24 there is located a conical sleeve 25, the periphery of which is concaved, the outer end of said sleeve being seated in a countersink or annular recess 26 formed in the inner face of the rollers 24. This sleeve is provided with a fin or feather 27 which engages with the longitudinal groove 20 of its shaft so that it is stationary with the shaft and does not revolve with the roller 24, but is free to slide upon the shaft. At the outer side of the inner roller 23 a similarly shaped though smaller sleeve 28 is located upon the shaft, the said sleeve being like its roller 23 free to revolve and slide upon the shaft. The inner grooved rollers 23 are designed to travel upon the inner track 6, while the outer grooved rollers 24 are designed for similar movement upon the outer track 7, and inasmuch as the outer track is lower than the inner track, the shafts or axles 19 are horizontal, notwithstanding the discrepancy in the diameters of the inner and outer grooved rollers 23 and 24:.

, The hopper arranged above the machine as thus described, comprises an annular flange or ring 29, from which there extends inwardly a series of inclined radial arms 30. Upon these arms is supported a concaved hopper bottom 31, which is provided at its center With a circular opening 32 that about agrees in diameter with the table 16 above which it terminates. The arms that extend inwardly from the hopper wall and are located under the bottom of the hopper are preferably removably received by the upper bifurcated ends 33 of the posts 3. When seated upon the posts the bore in the bottom of the hopper will receive the upper end of the hollow casting 13. The hopper bottom is provided with a radial feed opening 34, and at the opposite sides thereof are arranged vertical walls 35, one of which is provided with an opening 36 leading to the feed-opening. A deflecting plate 37 is secured to the opposite wall 35 and serves to direct the oranges from the hopper to the feed-opening 36. Arranged upon the walls 35 is a pair of radially opposite bearings 38, and journaled in the same is an operating shaft 39 whose outerend carries acrank 40 designed to be manually rotated, and whose inner end has arranged thereon a pinion 41 whose teeth engage with the beveled gear 17.

In the operation of the machine the track has its several segments adjusted by the setscrews so as to permit of the sleeves 25 and 28 being contracted by the rollers traveling on the track to such, a degree as to conform to the smallest orange likely to be handled and to expand or spread to such a degree as to permit of the falling therebetween or passage of the largest orange that is likely to be handled. The oranges are fed into the hopper, down whose inclined bottom they roll, and are carried by the revolving table 16 around to the discharge-opening 36. They pass through the discharge opening 36, and fall between the sets of sleeves 25 and 28. The outer rollers arriving against the camarm 11 are deflected from thence to the beginning of the outer track, and in a like manner are the inner rollers caused to engage with the beginning of the inner track. The oranges lying between the sets of sleeves will be constantly and gently turned so that whenever the sleeves arrive at such a point on the tracks as will cause the sleeves to separate a sufficient distance to permit of the downward passage therebetween of an orange, the same will fall and enter the chute opposite or below that portion of the track and be discharged from the chute into the receptacle thereunder. Motion to the parts is imparted through the medium of the crank 40, which serves to revolve the shaft 39, and the pinion at the inner end thereof. This pinion meshes with the gear 17 on the upper end of the hollow drum, and thus are the sets of rollers and their sleeves caused to travel over the track.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a machine that is most accurate in its assorting of oranges or similar fruit, and which may be adjusted for different fruits by a simple manipulation of several set-screws. The fruit is constantly turned during its travel and in all directions and hence will drop through to the chutes the instant the sleeves can separate to a degree equal to their-smallest diameter.

The machine is of very simple construction,

- consists of few parts that are easily manufactured and assembled, and may be readily taken apart for cleaning and repair when desired.

I do not limit my invention to the precise details of construction herein shown and described, but hold that I may vary the same to any degree and extent within the knowledge of the skilled mechanic.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a sorting machine, the combination with a framework having a pairof tracks located eccentrically with relation to each other, of a centrally located drum, means for rotating the drum, aseries of shafts extending from the drum above the tracks, rollers arranged loosely on the shafts and engaging the tracks, and concaved sleeves arranged between the rollers, substantially as specified.

2. In a sorting machine, the combination with a framework, a pair of tracks arranged eccentrically with relation to each other, of a central drum, shafts radiating therefrom above the tracks, a pair of concaved sleeves arranged loosely upon each shaft between the tracks, and devices arranged upon the shafts at the outer sides of the sleeves and engaging the tracks, substantially as specified.

3. In a sorting machine, the combination with the framework, the pair of tracks arranged thereon eccentrically with relation to each other, of a central hub, shafts radiating from the hub, means for rotating the hub, grooved rollers arranged on the shafts, pairs of concaved sleeves loosely arranged between the rollers upon the shafts, and means for adjusting one of the tracks with relation to the other, substantially as specified.

IiO

4. In a sorting machine, the combination with a framework, a pair of tracks eccentrically located with relation to each other, the outer track consisting of aseries of independ- .ent segments or sections, and screws passing through the outer track into the inner track and adapted to adjust said segments, of an inner drum, shafts radiating from the drum over the tracks, means for rotating the drum, grooved rollers arranged loosely on the shafts, and independent concaved sleeves arranged loosely on the shafts between the grooved rollers, substantially as specified.

5. In a sorting machine, the combination with a central disk, a series of radial arms extending from the disk, posts at the outer ends of the arms, notches in the upper edges of the arms, an outer track consisting of segmental sections arranged loosely in the notches, an inner track supported by the arms, a series of screws passing through the sections of the outer track into the inner track, of a superimposed rotatable drum, radial shafts extending therefrom above the tracks, a band connecting the outer ends of the shafts, grooved rollers loosely mounted on the shafts, concaved sleeves loosely mounted on the shafts between the rollers, and means for rotating the drum, substantially as specified.

6. In a sorting machine, the combination with a central disk, a series of radial arms 6X- tending from the disk, posts at the outer ends of the arms, notches in the upper edges of the arms, an outer track consisting of segmental sections arranged loosely in the notches, an inner track supported by the arms, and a series of screws passing through the sections of the outer track into the inner track, of a superimposed rotatable drum, radial shafts extending therefrom above the tracks, a band connecting the outer ends of the shafts, grooved rollers loosely mounted on the shafts, concaved sleeves loosely mounted on the shafts between the rollers, means for rotating the drum, and chutes arranged between the arms and posts, substantially as specified.

7. In a sorting machine, the combination with a series of posts arranged annularly, radial arms connecting the posts, chutes arranged between the arms, inner and outer tracks arranged upon the arms and eccentric with relation to each other, of a rotatable drum arranged above the arms and having a rotatable feed-table, a series of shafts radiating from the drum below the feed-table and above the tracks, loose grooved rollers arranged upon the shafts, concaved independent sleeves arranged loosely upon the shafts between the rollers, a superimposed cylinder supported by the posts and having an inclined hopper bottom provided with a central open ing above the feed-table and at one side with a feed-opening, and means for rotating the drum, substantially as specified.

8. In an orange sorting machine, the combination with the stationary posts, notched at their upper ends, the radial arms connecting the posts, the disk at the center of the arms, the shaft rising from the disk, the inner and outer eccentrically arranged tracks supported by the arms, the chutes between the arms below the tracks, of the hollow drum arranged upon the shaft and comprising a lower base and upper gear, and an intermediate feed-table, shafts radiating from the base, a band connected with the shafts, grooved rollers, and sleeves loosely arranged upon the shafts and engaging the tracks, a superimposed cylinder, and an inclined bottom arranged therein and having a feedopening at one side and a central opening above the feed-table, arms on the under side of the bottom for engaging the notches in the standards, vertical walls at the opposite 'sidesof the feed-opening, one of said Walls having a corresponding opening, bearings arranged upon the walls, a crank-shaft in the bearings, and a beveled gear at the inner end of the crank-shaft engaging with the gear of the drum, substantially as specified.

9. In a sorting machine, the combination with the framework having a series of discharge-openings, and inner and outer noncontinuous tracks arranged above the openings and eccentric with relation to each other, of a central drum, radial shafts, pairs of grooved rollers, and concaved sleeves arranged upon the shafts, and a deflecting cam arranged between the ends of the tracks and adapted to deflect the rollers into line therewith, substantially as specified.

10. In a sorting machine, the combination with the framework, the eccentrically located tracks, and the openings below the tracks, of the rotatable drum, means for operating the same, the radial grooved shafts extending from the drum, the inner and outer grooved rollers 25 and 28 respectively arranged loosely upon the shafts, and the inner and outer concaved sleeve-sections arranged between the rollers, the outer sleeve-section being splined upon the shaft and loosely connected with the outer roller, substantially as specified.

11. In a sorting machine, the combination with the framework, the eccentrically located tracks, and the openings below the tracks, of

the rotatable drum, means for operating the.

same, the radial grooved shafts extending from the drum, the inner and outer grooved rollers 25 and 28 respectively arranged loosely upon the shafts, and the inner and outer concaved sleeve-sections arranged between the rollers, the outer sleeve-section being splined upon the shaft, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownI have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD N. MAULL.

Witnesses:

A. RANsoM, M. E. HARP. 

